CAMPAIGNING residents of Summertrees in Lea, Preston, have won their long battle for a toddlers play area to be built on the estate - but half of them have now decided they don't want it!

They have been pressurising local councillors for more than a year for a small play area for the under fives. But when plans showed it would be in sight of their homes, they opposed it.

After requests from local residents Commission for New Towns (CNT) agreed to put aside land for a play area on the agreement the council would do the maintenance work.

Letters were sent out to the 203 residents asking for their views but only 54 per cent were in favour.

Parks Manager Nigel Conway said it was a typical case of 'not in my backyard'.

At a meeting of the Leisure Services committee last week he told councillors: "While there is a general agreement that a play area is desirable, the specific view of some residents is 'not in my backyard'."

Objections raised were noise nuisance, litter, increases in crime, vandalism, and teenagers congregating in the play area.

But councillors agreed toddlers were very unlikely to commit crimes and cause a nuisance and agreed the proposals.

One resident who stuck by the campaign all the way is Miriam Gildert. She said: "I am absolutely delighted and would like to thank the council for their hard work. The children have at last somewhere to play and it is comforting that it is in sight of their homes."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.